Playing for Keeps (The Game #2)(48)
Author: Emma Hart

“And that’s why I can’t be mad. No matter how much I want to be. I trust you, girl. Sometimes I have to ask myself why, but it’s no damn good arguing with your stubborn ass.”

“You taught me well.”

“Too f**king well.” He stretches and stands up, putting his hands on my waist and hoisting me up. He slings his arm over my shoulders. “Come on, then. I ran out on my girlfriend this morning and I have to go threaten some pretty-boy ass.”

I shake my head as we jump from the rock, smiling. No good fighting it.

He still needs to be macho-man big bro.

Chapter Twenty-Two – Aston

The rough bark of the tree digs into my back. Apart from with Megan, outside is the only place that gives me peace. Even as I wait for the inevitable conversation with Braden – the one where I’ll have to admit why I need her so much. He deserves that much after what we’ve done to him, and I’m ready for it. Because of Megan I’m finally ready to start opening up about my life.

“Still a spacey bastard.” He smirks.

“No fist in my eye?” I smirk back at him.

He shrugs a shoulder. “I considered it. Several f**king times. Then figured it just ain’t worth it since I’d probably get more punches from those damn girls than it’s worth.”

He’s probably right.

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t kick the shit out of you if you break her f**king heart.”

“I wasn’t joking when I said I loved her yesterday,” I say bluntly, staring him down with the same seriousness he’s looking at me with. “She gets me, man. She gets all my shit and she deals with it. She’s something out of this damn world, and I still think I don’t deserve her.”

“Dude, none of us deserve these girls, but for some reason they won’t leave us alone.” He winks. “I ain’t gonna lie to you – I’m pissed. I’m pissed you never told me and that you went behind my back to do it all. But at the same time I get it, yeah? You kept that f**kin’ secret because of how much she means to me… That’s why I’m not completely pissed.”

I raise my eyebrows at him, questioning him silently. He opens his mouth and closes it again.

“Fuck it.” He runs his hand through his hair. “I don’t even know what I am.”

Megan appears at the back door of the frat house and leans against the doorframe and watches us.

“Until I was six, my life was a mess of drugs, alcohol, sex and abuse. I spent my time hiding the bruises my mom’s jacked-up boyfriends gave me and wondering what they’d get me for next time. I listened to her being used in the next room. I listened to her sobbing and crying every night. I watched her go too far until eventually the drugs killed her and my Gramps took me in. I’ve lived with that bullshit ever since, and I used sex to block it all out the same way she did. That was why I never gave a f**k. Sex meant I didn’t have to feel – until Megan. She made it all real again. She reminded me of how I feel about everything, and slowly she pulled it all out of me. She made me relive all the memories and then she took it all away by just being there. The shit in my head, all that noise, she makes it quiet again, man. I’m f**ked if I know how she does it.” I shake my head, watching as she makes her way over to us slowly. “But she does. That’s the shit no one else knows.” My eyes fall back on Braden’s. “That’s the real me, and the least I can do after betraying you this way is tell you the kind of person she’s in love with. I’m not gonna pretend anymore. I’m just gonna be f**king real because that’s what Megan deserves.”

“You haven’t ended up killing each other yet then?” Megan tucks some hair behind her ear and stops right between us. I reach forward and grab her hand, pulling her down. She squeals, and I catch her and gently make her sit between my legs. My arms tuck around her waist and I nuzzle the side of her head, kissing the spot below her ear.

“No, no killing. Another few minutes and it might have been a possibility.”

She turns her face toward me, and I feel the twitch of her cheek as she smiles. Her fingers link through mine.

“Good,” she mutters. “I’d hate to have to deal with both of you.”

“See?” Braden shrugs. “She could kick my ass better than I could kick yours. At least I’m here to keep an eye on you, I guess. Make sure you treat her right.”

“Caveman,” Maddie reminds him, dropping onto the grass next to him.

“Whatever, Angel. I’m just saying.”

“We know.” She leans over and kisses his cheek. “But I think Aston is aware of that.”

Braden grunts, and Maddie smiles, resting her head on his shoulder.

“This is the jackass you’ve been sleeping with?” Kay hollers across the yard. “Are you f**king kidding me?”

“Uh, surprise?” Megan says weakly and shrugs.

“Surprise? Damn right it’s a f**kin’ surprise!” She stops, towering over us, and puts her hands on her hips. She looks at Braden. “Why isn’t his whole body in plaster?”

Braden shrugs. I’m pretty sure everyone shrugs around Kay. It’s easier to do that than answer her and give her more ammunition to vomit words.

“Chill out, Bitchy-Pants!” Lila calls. “They’re just dating. No biggie.”

“You knew, didn’t you?” Kay rounds on her, then on Megan. “How could you tell her and not me?”

I smirk as Megan looks at her pointedly.

“Technically, she didn’t tell me,” Lila mentions. “I worked it out.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Was it a matter of life and death, Kayleigh? Will you drop down dead now you’re the last person to find out?”

“No.”

“Then that’s why I didn’t tell you.” Lila grins. “None of your business.”

“You knew?” Braden asks Lila, glancing over her shoulder to Ryan. “Did you know?”

“Why do I feel like we’re in the middle of a high school drama?” I whisper in Megan’s ear. She giggles silently.

“Because Kay, Braden, and Ryan are still of high school mentality?” she whispers back.

“I, er, shit,” Lila mutters.

“Don’t look at me, man. It’s news to me that Lila knew.”

“News … Knew … News …” Maddie blinks a few times. “Um, can I just summarize here? My head is starting to hurt.”